Post sayings or stories from Buddhist traditions which you find interesting, inspiring or useful. (Your own stories are welcome on DW, but in the Creative Writing or Personal Experience forums rather than here.)

Yes, you are right. Actually I always meant practitioners from cultures which Buddhism has recently spread to, I guess the easiest thing to say was 'western'.That's no excuse for my sloppiness.I apologise to anyone I have offended by the title of this thread. This thread was only ever meant to be a positive contribution to this forum, somewhere to post a few inspirational stories.I am sorry if it has turned out otherwise.Please feel free to change the name/lock it

There's nothing wrong with you topic. Those who find fault in it should be at least as careful about their own.

It's a nice thread especially because it carries the idea that in fact there are westerners reaping the fruits of Dharma practice, something that some people wouldn't believe 50 years ago. So it's great, I think.

If we were in a thread called Inspirational Practitioners alone, it would be hard to find a western name. It's still a little hard to compare the achievements of westerners to, let's say, Longchenpa! So we would end up with a list of names that we already know quite well of famous masters of the past and present, from different traditions. Your topic is justified, MrDistracted. It deserves its own space.Jikan wasn't against it, at least IMO. It seems you may have interpreted him that way... Some others, however, made a big fuss about it, but it's completely unjustified.

Seems only vajrayanis have chimed in, so thought I'd add some other names too:

Luangpor Sumedho - one of the driving forces behind establishing Theravada in the west. And a truly profound man to meet in person. The Ven Hsuan Hua even cited Luangpor as a role model that his own monastic disciples should look to as the ideal of a monastic to emulate.

Ven Heng Sure - The dharma heir of Hsuan Hua. In the 70s, he and ven Heng Chau made a 2½ year pilgrimage across the US, covering 800 miles. That might seem like a short distance for such a long time, but the manner of it was 3 steps and one bow (full prostration), similar to the 3 year pilgrimage ven Hsu Yun made from Mount Putuo to Mount Wutai to repay the kindness of his parents, also 3 steps and one bow all the way.

"Even if my body should be burnt to death in the fires of hellI would endure it for myriad lifetimes As your companion in practice" --- Gandavyuha Sutra

[quote="Anders Honore"Ven Heng Sure - The dharma heir of Hsuan Hua. In the 70s, he and ven Heng Chau made a 2½ year pilgrimage across the US, covering 800 miles. That might seem like a short distance for such a long time, but the manner of it was 3 steps and one bow (full prostration), similar to the 3 year pilgrimage ven Hsu Yun made from Mount Putuo to Mount Wutai to repay the kindness of his parents, also 3 steps and one bow all the way.[/quote]

Heng Sure's "Three Steps, One Bow" is an amazing book. Here are the first three chapters excerpted: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/oneheart1.htmlSlight correction to your note--they traveled 800 miles up the coast of California, not across the US. I believe that the second leg of the pilgrimage took them the rest of the way to Seattle, so the entire 1100 mile trip was divided over two years.

"All the sublime teachings, so profound--to throw away one and then grab yet another will not bear even a single fruit. Persevere, therefore, in simply one."--Dudjom Rinpoche, "Nectar for the Hearts of Fortunate Disciples. Song No. 8"

Two Western practitioners whom I've found very inspiring are the Argentinian Gerardo Abboud, who is Tsoknyi Rinpoche's principal translator, and Susan Chapman of Vancouver, who served as the druppon (leader) of several of the three-year retreats at Gampo Abbey.

Chris

"All the sublime teachings, so profound--to throw away one and then grab yet another will not bear even a single fruit. Persevere, therefore, in simply one."--Dudjom Rinpoche, "Nectar for the Hearts of Fortunate Disciples. Song No. 8"

Silent Bob wrote:Two Western practitioners whom I've found very inspiring are the Argentinian Gerardo Abboud, who is Tsoknyi Rinpoche's principal translator

Gerrado is not only a great translator, he's a very, very good teacher. He's got a very good way of explaining Dzogchen to people with great clarity.

He is also a very nice guy!

Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumalthe modern mind has become so limited and single-visioned that it has lost touch with normal perception - John Michell

"Absolute Truth is not an object of analytical discourse or great discriminating wisdom,It is realized through the blessing grace of the Guru and fortunate Karmic potential.Like this, mistaken ideas of discriminating wisdom are clarified."

May any merit generated by on-line discussionBe dedicated to the Ultimate Benefit of All Sentient Beings.

MrDistracted wrote:And recently I heard about David Petit (husband of Lama Tsultrim Allione), who died last year and Tulku Sangngag was keen that his realisation was publicised as an inspiration for others, saying he was certain David had acheived liberation in the bardo of Dharmata:

I was very close to Dave. His death was remarkable. We handled the entire affair at Tara Mandala, from the wrapping and cremation of his body to the consecration of a tsakhang for him this past august. Dave was an accomplished Togal practitioner, and the only recipient of Togal teachings from Tsoknyi Rinpoche. After his death, many incredible light phenomena occurred, including a night rainbow. There were countless other signs, as well. Both Tulku Sang Ngag Rinpoche and Adzom Rinpoche (a remarkable mahasiddha) asserted that he attained Dharmakaya Enlightenment in the Bardo of the Dharmata. We miss and love you, Dave.

MrDistracted wrote:And recently I heard about David Petit (husband of Lama Tsultrim Allione), who died last year and Tulku Sangngag was keen that his realisation was publicised as an inspiration for others, saying he was certain David had acheived liberation in the bardo of Dharmata:

I was very close to Dave. His death was remarkable. We handled the entire affair at Tara Mandala, from the wrapping and cremation of his body to the consecration of a tsakhang for him this past august. Dave was an accomplished Togal practitioner, and the only recipient of Togal teachings from Tsoknyi Rinpoche. After his death, many incredible light phenomena occurred, including a night rainbow. There were countless other signs, as well. Both Tulku Sang Ngag Rinpoche and Adzom Rinpoche (a remarkable mahasiddha) asserted that he attained Dharmakaya Enlightenment in the Bardo of the Dharmata. We miss and love you, Dave.

Jinpa Rangdrol

Thanks for the account!

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumalthe modern mind has become so limited and single-visioned that it has lost touch with normal perception - John Michell

Yes the Vimeo video is fantastic. I'd definitely suggest watching it. I've been visiting since 2004 and have lived there on and off for about 3 years, in between stints at college and working at home in Durango (about an hour away). Tara Mandala is definitely my true home, though.

Silent Bob wrote:Slight correction to your note--they traveled 800 miles up the coast of California, not across the US. I believe that the second leg of the pilgrimage took them the rest of the way to Seattle, so the entire 1100 mile trip was divided over two years.

Chris

No "second leg". There were two sets of Master Hua's bowing monks; in 1973 Heng Ju & Heng Yo bowed from Gold Mountain in SF to Seattle. Then a few years later Heng Sure & Heng Chau did their pilgrimage from LA to 10000 Buddhas city.

Another inspirational Western disciple of Master Hua is Dharmamitra or Ven. Heng Shou, translator of the Kalavinka series (with more to come) and one of the first five Western monastics that Master Hua ordained.

Basically, there is not even one buddha, only great wisdom. Bodhisattva Hsuan Hua

Silent Bob wrote:Slight correction to your note--they traveled 800 miles up the coast of California, not across the US. I believe that the second leg of the pilgrimage took them the rest of the way to Seattle, so the entire 1100 mile trip was divided over two years.

Chris

No "second leg". There were two sets of Master Hua's bowing monks; in 1973 Heng Ju & Heng Yo bowed from Gold Mountain in SF to Seattle. Then a few years later Heng Sure & Heng Chau did their pilgrimage from LA to 10000 Buddhas city.

Something like that...It's been over 30 years since I read the book. Anyway, it was a remarkable achievement--the section of highway they traveled on through the Redwood country is narrow and winding and they must have had special protection not to have been squashed beneath the wheels of a speeding log truck.

Chris

"All the sublime teachings, so profound--to throw away one and then grab yet another will not bear even a single fruit. Persevere, therefore, in simply one."--Dudjom Rinpoche, "Nectar for the Hearts of Fortunate Disciples. Song No. 8"